


Thick Skin

by panchostokes (badwolfrun)



Series: Prompt Fics [55]
Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: Angst, Arguing, Episode: s14e01 The Devil and D.B. Russell, M/M, Out of Character Anger, Rated T for Trashmouth, Unhappy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:34:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22579438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badwolfrun/pseuds/panchostokes
Summary: Greg's avoiding Nick and bites back.
Relationships: Greg Sanders/Nick Stokes
Series: Prompt Fics [55]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1540795
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	Thick Skin

**Author's Note:**

> for an anon on tumblr, from a prompt.
> 
> lmao remember when nick was called the “hair and fiber” expert in all those character bios cause I do.

“You’ve been ignoring my calls.”

Greg kept his nose down the microscope. Not literally, of course, but his eyes were transfixed on the dual comparison of carpet fibers found on a victim’s jacket and the suspected source. 

“What d’you got there?” Nick’s voice cut in again. Greg continued to ignore him, though he wanted to slap Nick’s hand as he shuffled through Greg’s papers next to the scope.

“Carpet fibers. Aw, bro, you could have said something, you know fibers are my specialty!”

Even though what was in front of his eyes was a back-lit magnification of minuscule braided fabric, he could see that dumb, shit-eating smirk on Nick’s face, see the twinkle in his eyes that he gets when he thinks he’s being funny, or charming, or both. 

Greg remained silent, but Nick finally seemed to get the hint that he wasn’t in a talking mood. 

Yet, he still talked anyway.

“Listen, is this about…what happened with Morgan?” 

And somehow, that was the final straw.

“You know what, Stokes? Yeah. It is. How come any time someone is in danger _you_ can lose your shit, but any time _I_ do, I’m just ‘overreacting?’“

“You ran into that storage unit with _no_ back up, we have no idea what could have been–”

“Who gives a shit what _could_ have happened? This was a life or death situation, Nick, and I would not have forgiven myself if we–if we found Morgan in that storage unit.” 

“Do you really think I’m not beating myself up about this? I feel so bad, man–” 

“You could have fooled me!” Greg scoffed, shaking his head and returning to the microscope, though Nick continued to talk.

“You think _I_ don’t wish that literally anybody else–hell, even me, was abducted and chained up with a collar around their neck?”

“They wouldn’t have taken you, you’re too _thick._ In your head as well as…everywhere else.” 

That did it.

Nick was finally silent, and Greg even heard the sound of the door slamming shut. He heaved a deep sigh, regretting the harshness of his words, and the words themselves, but not necessarily the reasoning behind it.

He was being selfish. Morgan almost got killed. And everything with Ellie Brass…

And yet, there Nick was, trying, as always, to pretend like nothing happened.

Nothing at all.

And not only that, but while he wasn’t necessarily shifting the blame he definitely wasn’t taking responsibility, and it was almost as out of character for him as it was for Greg to say what he said. 

Shit. 

He didn’t mean it.

He really didn’t. 

He shut his eyes, lifted his head and breathed deep. He fumbled around for his cell phone, but it wasn’t where he thought he had left it. 

He opened his eyes, and found his phone, which had somehow moved to the other side of the table, which he just saw behind one of Nick’s thick, folded arms as the man was still standing in the lab, with a blank expression and crossed arms.

“Look, I’m sorry, okay? This has just…been stressful. For all of us.” 

“It’s alright, G. But I’m not the one you should be apologizing to. Have you ever thought about what _Morgan_ might be feeling about all of this? Have you really sat and talked to her?” 

Greg hadn’t, and they both knew it. Just like they both knew that _Nick_ knew better than most, what Morgan was going through.

“As for me, well…Guess my skin’s as thick as my head,” Nick sneered, and then promptly stormed out of the room.

“You always have to have the last word, huh, asshole?” Greg muttered as he furiously finished up his work. 


End file.
